RICK METHOT: Fall trout stocking under way this week

Saturday, October 6, 2012

OK, I exaggerate.“Madness?” — Not quite.

You won’t find the masses lining the streams when fall, which is now under way in case you haven’t noticed pumpkins decorating porches, high school football and the hint of winter in an election year when snow jobs are already here.

But those who don’t get off their duffs to take advantage of the releases are missing out on a chance at some really big brookies and rainbows, not to mention a lot more elbow room than opening day in April.

“Trout Madness,” is not to be confused with “March Madness,” where humans with pituitary glands gone haywire throw balls up in the air in some kind of competition to find out which 7-foot guy can put the most balls through a hoop set at 10 feet.

Trained seals can put a ball through a hoop, but I haven’t seen one kick a 50-yard field goal recently. Hike the basket to 13 feet and the hoopsters may be able to compete with the seals.

Meanwhile it is the rush to end the baseball season before snow flies, the NFL is in its fifth week already and hockey ain’t happening for a long time unless they settle their annoying squabble.

You might as well go fishing until the World Series teams have been decided.

“Trout Madness” is actually the title of a book, a classic, by John Voelkler writing under the nom de plume of Robert Traver.

I confess that what you see as a byline on this page is not my real name. It’s Mark Trail.

It’s somewhere recorded in ink on the first page of the family Bible, really.

Anyway, the guy, by whatever name, was a Michigan Supreme Court justice who was no slouch when it came to putting words to paper.

Traver, rather Voekler, is the author of “Anatomy of a Murder.” The book was turned into a movie directed by Otto Preminger, music by Duke Ellington with Jimmy Stewart as the lead actor.

Not too shabby for a trout bum.

I’m such a slacker. I must get to my screenplay in progress, ”Snookie Slays Stripers” first thing in the morning.

Meanwhile, weather is supposed to turn cooler this week after a wet weekend. That means a good thing for blues and bass and also to keep stream levels decent, unless the rain gets out of hand, for the start of the trout releases.

A friend just e-mailed to say he wants to jump in a steam to catch trout this week.

I reminded him he’s 68 years old, jumping into anything will probably kill him and I’d rather not do the same.

But for those younger and more limber of limb, it all begins on Tuesday with releases in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

On that day look for trout in the Manasquan (aka “Muddysquan”) the Medeconk River, both branches, and Tom’s River, including the Trout Conservation Areas.

These are not big stockings, a few hundred here and there.

If you want to be in the position to catch trout by hitting the numbers, as in most stocked, try the Paulinskill or the North Branch on the Tuesday.

The huge release is on Wednesday the 10th when the Musky gets 2,870 trout.

What attracts fall trout fishermen, however, is not numbers but quality.

These are trout averaging 14-16 inches and broodstock measured by pounds, not inches.

Go for it.SCARY INVASIONAll those bear feeding fools who still cling to the delusion that wild animals are our friends, consider this.

A black bear was shot dead last week, two days after she broke into a home in West Milford.

The bear trashed a childrens’ playroom while the family slept according to a story in the “West Milford Messenger.”

Of course the antis will whine — until one of their kin gets mauled in a sandbox.

ROD BUILDINGThe popular rod building classes at Fisherman Fred’s in Hamilton Square are back.

Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 15-16 are the dates and registration is on now at $60 for the two-night course.

Confirm your spot with an e-mail to info@fishermanfreds.com or call (609) 570-8035.

Classes will be held at Fisherman Fred’s, 2222 Route 33 in Hamilton Square.

Rod building is a lot of fun, give it a try and there’s nothing more gratifying that catching a nice fish on a rod you built yourself.